The invention relates to military equipment of the type comprising a turret mounted on a mount for rotation about a vertical axis and a main gun carried by the turret through bearing means defining an axis of rotation transverse to said vertical axis for said gun which is located out of the turret and provided with shielding means. An aiming and control system actuatable from inside the turret allows azimuth aiming of the weapon by rotating the turret and elevational aiming thereof by causing the weapon to pivot about the axis of its bearing means.
In most prior art military equipments including a large caliber main gun carried by a turret, the trunnions of the weapon are located above the front part of the raceway of the bearing supporting the turret. Then the rear part of the weapon may be located inside the turret. That arrangement has a number of drawbacks. The space taken up by the turret and its weight are directly related to the characteristics of the main weapon; the circle swept by the end of the barrel of the weapon is directly related to the length of this latter and considerably exceeds the dimensions of the carrier vehicle in most cases. The disadvantages of this conventional arrangement have made it difficult up till now to install a gun of great length on the turret of a light armoured vehicle.
In another prior art arrangement (Anderson et al. U.S. Pat. No. 2,933,981) the two trunnions of a weapon consisting of a rocket launcher are supported by bearings to define an elevation axis located rearwardly of the vertical axis of the turret. Then the overall size of the system is smaller than that of a conventional system. However there remains the problem of loading the weapon. As described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,933,981 there is provided a fully automatic loader using a belt feed in a breech secured to the launcher. That approach cannot be used when the weapon is a large caliber gun whose ammunition has a weight which requires handling it round per round. The ammunitions are not shielded to a sufficient extent. The feed belt can be loaded in a specific position only.
It is an object of the invention to provide improved military equipment of the above mentioned type. It is another object to provide an equipment which overcomes the disadvantages of conventional turrets fitted with a weapon of large caliber while ensuring at the same time the protection of and the supply of rounds of ammunition in a simple way.
According to the invention, there is provided a military equipment wherein the bearing means cooperate with the shield of the gun to define a protected supply passage for a loading system designed to supply rounds of ammunition to the gun from inside the turret in succession.
In this respect, it should be kept in mind that loading systems have been in use since a number of years in which a support for a gun defines a path for the ammunition (German Pat. No. 1 947811 for instance). However such systems are only for light weapons receiving bands of ammunition.
To the best of applicant's knowledge, it has never been suggested to associate such a system with heavy guns. That failure of the art may easily be understood: it looks like delivering individual rounds of ammunition whose weight exceeds some kgs to a gun whose elevation varies in a large range from a stationary location in the turret is not feasible.
The invention is of particular advantages when used in the field of armoured military land vehicles having a turret carrying a heavy main weapon, with loading shot by shot, and possibly a secondary armament (typically a machine gun). This application is however not exclusive: the invention may also be used on a pill box or a sea vessel.
Whatever the application, advantages of the invention clearly appear. The circle swept by the end of the barrel of the weapon is reduced because the pivots are transferred from the front to the rear of the turret. The dimensions of the latter may be reduced, particularly because the inner diameter of its raceway does not have to accommodate the recoil distance of the weapon with respect to the pivot. The range of positive and negative elevation is increased. The dimensions of the turret body have no longer to be determined to accomodate the rocking and recoil movement of the rear part of the weapon: it is sufficient for the turret to receive the gunner or the gunners and the ammunition.
To the structural advantages are added ergonomic advantages: since the weapon does not project into the compartment occupied by the gunners, the movements of the latter are easier, the space available is greater, there are no longer empty shells in the turret, the combustion gases flow out of the turret when the breech is opened, the noise in the turret during firing is reduced.
Finally, the protection of the vehicle and the gunners is very much improved: the turret may be conceived so as to have low streamlining; it is possible to fire from a firing ridge while exposing neither the vehicle, nor the occupied space of the turret. The unit formed by the weapon and its armour plating has itself a small front and side surface and is less exposed to destruction by hostile fire.
The main weapon carried by the turret will typically be a gun of large caliber, typically 81 mm and more, whose loading takes place shot by shot. The armour of the weapon will surround the rear part thereof, up to and including the pivoting axis, and will provide at the rear the space required for recoil. The shells may escape through a rear opening in the armour. To provide a path for the rounds of ammunition, the armour of the weapon will typically comprise a front wall in the form of a cylindrical sector centred on the pivoting axis of the gun and in which there is provided an opening through which passes the supply system (chain conveyor for example), said opening cooperating with an associated part of one of lateral supports fast with the turret.
To reduce the torques required for aiming the weapon in elevation, the pivoting axis is advantageously placed so that it is near the centre of gravity of the unit formed by the weapon and its armour; a mechanical system exerting resilient forces may be provided for balancing the residual pivoting torque.
The invention will be better understood from the description which follows of particular embodiments, given by way of examples. The description refers to the accompanying drawings.